Survival and Risk Factors in Women with Breast Cancer: the Relationship of Lymphedema

Abstract

Introduction: Lymphedema related to breast cancer is the main complication of the treatments for this neoplasm, affecting the upper limb homolateral to the compromised breast. Objective: To analyze the incidence, risk factors and impact on overall survival of lymphedema secondary to breast cancer. Method: Retrospective cohort study with 709 women attended at a rehabilitation center for breast cancer, between 1989 and 2014. The categorical absolute frequencies were compared to the Chi-square test. Overall survival rate was calculated using Kaplan Meier method and the Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to evaluation of prognostic factors, the definition of indicators associated with lymphedema incidence was calculated with logistic regression. Results: White women predominated, mean age 61.5 years. Women with lymphedema (33.24%), 85.8% were diagnosed at an advanced stage, a higher frequency of axillary lymphadenectomy (p=0.064) and low sentinel lymph node biopsy (p<0.0001). In the survival status the women with lymphedema presented a higher death rate due to the cancer (50.2%), with a survival rate of 0.996 up to five years. Women death predictors were advanced cancer stage and the amount of compromised lymph nodes. Conclusion: Women with lymphedema present a greater chance to die from cancer than the other group, but they remain alive for a longer period. The advanced stage and non-performance of sentinel lymph node biopsy were considered risk factors for the development of lymphedema and the predictive characteristics of death.